quotation mark

noun

: one of a pair of punctuation marks " " or ' ' used chiefly to indicate the beginning and the end of a quotation in which the exact phraseology of another or of a text is directly cited

Examples of quotation mark in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Modern thinkers stopped using these concepts altogether except in quotation marks, with a wink, a smirk, and a glance backward toward the unscientific past. Isaac Bashevis Singer, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025 The former searches the web for relevant information about your document and shows a quotation mark icon next to each of its search hits. PCMAG, 25 Mar. 2025 Commas and quotation marks wink from around the room. Thao Thai, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2025 Fixed an issue where messages containing quotation marks sometimes might fail to send. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for quotation mark

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quotation mark was circa 1859

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quotation mark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quotation%20mark. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

quotation mark

noun
: one of a pair of punctuation marks " " or ' ' used chiefly to indicate the beginning and the end of a direct quotation

More from Merriam-Webster on quotation mark

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!